Compound girl names – those formed by combining two separate names – have moved on since the days of Maryann and Annemarie!

　　Today’s smoosh names for girls are less likely to take classics like Mary and Anne as their base, and more likely to build on already fashionable or novel names. Trending choices like Aubriella and Novalee, which now sit comfortably inside the US Top 1000, had never registered more than a blip in the data before 2000.

　　Blending two names together can be a best-of-both-worlds choice for indecisive parents, torn between two favorites. It can also be an interesting way of livening up a shorter or more popular name, without giving up on the stylish sounds you love. And the resulting names can prove to be more than the sum of their parts!

　　Below are 20+ cool compound name ideas for girls. They include international names, nature and place names, as well as names inspired by literature and pop culture.

　　

Cool Compound Names for Girls

　　

Annelore

A felicitous blend of Anne and Eleonore, this German name was most popular there in the 1940s, but still feels fresh and whimsical elsewhere. Hannelore is an equally lovely variant.

　　

Bellerose

This name of a tree-lined New York neighborhood combines two of the most popular name elements for girls, with the lovely meaning of “beautiful rose”. Bellarose or Bellarosa would also make for pretty innovations, while Rosabel and Rosabella are more established compound names.

　　

Belphoebe

Created by Edmund Spenser in the 16th century for a character in his epic poem The Faerie Queene, this smoosh of Belle and Phoebe still feels right on trend over four centuries later.

　　

Daylily

A whimsical flower name which puts a sweet and surprising spin on popular Lily. Other ideas based on the -lily suffix: Tigerlily, Callalily, Waterlily, Maylily, Faylily, Joylily…

　　

Eleodora

This pretty smoosh of Eleanor and Theodora sounds like an established name, but neither this nor the Eleadora spelling have ever charted in the US. Nickname potential galore!

　　

Evaluna

Part stylish classic Eva, part rapid riser Luna, this attractive combo name, made famous by Venezuelan actress and singer Evaluna Montaner, is reminiscent of rare international gems like Evelina and Calluna. Blend them the other way, and you get the equally promising Luneva.

　　

Graceland

Fellow Grace smoosh Gracelyn has made it big – given to almost 2000 baby girls last year in its variant spellings. But music fans might appreciate this more tailored alternative, inspired by place names like Holland and Ireland.

　　

Idabel

A vintage-feeling combo blending Ida and Isabel, or is it Ida and Mabel? You could make it even sweeter by elaborating to Idabelle or Idabella.

　　

Lilivere

That -vere suffix from the legendary Guinevere would add a dramatic, ethereal flair to almost any name, but Lilivere seems like a match made in heaven!

　　

Marisol

The most popular compound name on this list, Marisol ranked at #822 in 2022. It originated as a contraction of Maria plus Sol or Soledad, but it’s also associated with the Spanish for “sea and sun”. Marisoleil could be an even more adventurous option.

　　

Marylark

There are still plenty of fresh combos to be made with classic Mary – from nature-inspired options like Marylark to more tailored choices like Maryblair.

　　

Milou

Wildly popular in the Netherlands, where it ranked #11 last year, this sweet name is a contraction of Marie plus Louise. It was recently chosen by Barron and Tessa Hilton for their daughter. Malou is the equally appealing Danish version.

　　

Olivet

A significant Biblical place name that also happens to be a perfect blend of the stylish botanical names Olive and Violet.

　　

Pennylane

Inspired by the Beatles song “Penny Lane”, about the sights and sounds of a typical street in Liverpool, England, this quirky smoosh name has charted regularly in the US since 2008.

　　

Pollyanna

A storybook name par excellence, Pollyanna is the title character in Eleanor H. Porter’s 1913 children’s classic. It’s a super sweet and lively name which has come to be used as a byword for someone with an unfailingly optimistic outlook.

　　

Rosemay

A quirky twist on Rosemary or a combo of the popular elements Rose and May, this would make a lovely traditional yet surprising middle name. It also works the other way around: Mayrose.

　　

Stelmaria

His Dark Materials has propelled Lyra to stardom, but here’s another overlooked name from the series: Stelmaria is the snow leopard daemon of Lord Asriel. Stellamaris or Maristela are other established combinations.

　　

Verily

A rare word name, meaning “truly”, but also an appealing combination of Vera plus Emily or Lily.

　　

Willadean

This intriguing name reads like a smoosh, even if its origins aren’t entirely clear. The Willodean spelling made the Top 1000 in the US from 1926 to 1932, charting almost exclusively in a handful of south-eastern states. And as Willowdean, it appeared in the 2018 film Dumplin’.

　　

Zoelle

A combo of Zoe and Elle that feels like a zippy twist on Noelle, and was given to 35 baby girls in 2022. There’s also Zoella – the pseudonym of British YouTuber Zoë Elizabeth Sugg, who blended her first and middle names together to create this on-trend compound, given to 41 girls last year.

　　

About the Author

　　

Emma Waterhouse

　　Emma Waterhouse joined the team in 2017, writing about everything from the top baby name trends 2023 to how not to choose the next big baby name. As Nameberry's head moderator, she also helps to keep our active forums community ticking.

　　Emma's articles on names and naming trends have been featured in publications including the Huffington Post, People, Today's Parent, Fatherly, and Good Housekeeping.

　　A linguist by background, Emma speaks several languages and lives in England's smallest county with her husband and four young children. You can reach her at [email protected].

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